Corn-planter



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N. 0. STARKS.

CORN PLANTER.

Patented May 28, 1889'.

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.2122 rneyj (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

' N. O. STAR-KS.

CORN PLANT-ER.

No. 404,318. Patehted May 28, 1889.

WITNESSES, [mom I02, I 4 0 g} %M zza (No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

N. O. STARKS.

001m PLANTER.

Patented May 28. 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NILS O. STARKS, OF MADISON, WVISCONSIN.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,318, dated May 28, 1889.

Application-filed September 22, 1888. Serial No. 286,074- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NILs O. STARKS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Madison, in the county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Row Corn- Planters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement as seen from one side of a cornplanter frame with the hopper removed therefrom. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the same, showing the hopper in place. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a side elevation. Fig. 5 is a top plan view with the hopper removed; and Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the seed-plate, showing the reciprocating and locking latch at the beginning of the stroke. Fig. 7 is a similar View showing the latch at the middle length of the stroke. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the latch at end of the stroke. Fig. 9 is;a side elevation showing the reciprocating and looking latch at the beginning of the stroke. Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the latch at the middle length of the stroke. Fig.1l is a similar View showing the latch at v the end of the stroke, and Fig. 12 is a detail view of the rotatable valve.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to corn-planters of that class known as check-row cornplanters; and it has for its object to provide mechanism for imparting a rotary motion to the seed-plate in a simple and effective manner; furthermore, to provide mechanism for limiting the rotation of the seed-plate to pre vent its apertures passing beyond the aperture in the base of the hopper communicating with the seed-chute, and, finally, to produce a device which shall be simple of construction, efficient in use, and comparatively inexpensive of production.

WVith these objects in view the invention consists in the-combination,with the rockshaft, of combined reciprocating and locking pivoted latch operated by the said shaft and provided with a downward-projecting tooth and a curved end, and a rotary seed-plate provided with teeth; furthermore, in the combination, with the seed-plate provided with teeth having one of their sides inclined, of the combined reciprocating and lockinglatch provided with a downward-projecting tooth and with a curved end the extremity of which is beveled, and, finally, in the various novel details of construction, whereby its objects are attained.

In the accompanying drawings, A designatesthe end of one of the cross-beams of a corn-planter, to which my device is shown at.- tached in operative position.

B indicates the bottom of the seed-hopper,

formed with the central raised bearing portion, a, provided with the central opening, a, for the reception of the axis of the seed-plate, and a indicates the seed-opening.

C denotes the seed-hopper, having its lower end fitting snugly around the central raised portion of the bottom B.

D indicates the seed plate or disk journaled upon the said raised bottom portion and provided upon its periphery with teeth d, having one of their sides beveled 0r taper- 8o ing, as shown at d, and formed with the usual seed-apertures, d

To the extreme end of the cross-beam A is secured an arm, E, extending at right angles to the said beam, and is provided at one end engages the forward roller or sheave, then 5 passes between the forked ends of the lever, and then finally engages the rear rollers or sheaves. WVhen the knot upon the wire or rope engages the forked lever,'it will draw it rearward, as will be readily understood, and I00 which I would have it understood I do not claim as my invention, for I am well aware The arm E has a lateral 9c that the rollers or sheaves, the knotted wire or rope, and the forked lever are old.

I-I denotes the seed-chute, having inclosed therein a casting, 1, formed with acontraeted outlet, 1 below which is journaled the seedvalve J, provided with a cogg'ed hub, j, and with the recesses or cup portion j.

A rack-bar, K, reciprocates between the walls of the casting and the chute and projects with its lower racked end through the said casting into engagement with the cogged hub of the seed-valve. The grain, it will be seen, will not interfere with the rack-bar, as the same is entirely inclosed between the wall of the casting and the chute, with the exception of its lower end, which engages the seedvalve. The upper end of this rack-bar is provided with laterally-projecting ears or studs 71?, the object of which will presently appear.

L denotes brackets projecting laterally from and secured to the cross-beam A. The brackets aiford bearings for a rock-shaft, M, extending transversely across the machineframe. To the intermediate portion of this rock-shaft is fixed a bell-crank, N, having its upper end slotted or bifurcated, as shown at n. The reciprocating and locking latch O is pivoted in the slotted end of the bell-crank, and is formed near its free end with a downwardly-projecting tooth or projection, 0. The extreme end of this latch is curved at 0' and is slightly beveled, as at 0 P denotes a dog pivoted to the bottom of the hopper, the object of which will be hereinafter set forth.

A spring, Q, is secured to the cross-beam and to an arm or clip, R, fixed to the rockshaft for the purpose of rocking the said shaft back into place after it has been rocked in the opposite direction by the knotted wire or rope.

S denotes an arm fixed to the end of the rock-shaft and connected to the forked lever by a link, T.

Having thus fully described the invention, I will now proceed to set forth its operation.

The motion imparted to the forked lever by the knotted wire or rope will be transmitted to the rock-shaft through the medium of the link, and thence to the seed-slide and the seedvalve. The lower end of the bell-crank is connected to the rack-barbetween its ears, as will be readily seen by referring to the accompanying drawings. Upon the rearward movement of the forked lever the latch partially rotates the seed plate or disk and then abuts with its curved end against one of the teeth, thus arresting the movement of the said plate or disk, as hereinbefore set forth. As soon as the knot of the wire has passed the forked lever the spring Q will retract the rock-shaft, which will then throw the latch back into position to engage with its downward projection or tooth another tooth upon the seed plate or disk. This latch in sliding back into position would tend by its downward projection contacting with the teeth of the seed plate or disk to rotate the said seed-plate or disk slightly in the wrong direction,but is prevented from doing so by the dog or pawl P, pivoted on the opposite side to the bottom of the hopper. The seed after dropping through the seed-openings in the seed plate or disk drop through the opening in the bottom of the hopper into the seed-chute, the escape from which is governed by the seedvalve, hereinbefore referred to. It will be seen that this valve and the seed plate or diskare operated simultaneously by the bellcrank mounted upon the rock-shaft, and that should too much grain pass through the opening in the bottom of the hopper its discharge to the ground would be held and regulated by the said seed-valve.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood without requiring an extended explanation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a corn-planter, the combination, with the seed plate or disk, of a reciprocating latch provided with a rigid tooth for rotating and a rigid stop for locking the said plate against further rotation, substantially as described.

2. In a corn-planter, the combination, with the seed plate or disk provided with peripheral teeth having one side flat and the other side beveled, of a reciprocating latch provided with a downward-extending tooth for engaging the said fiat side of the teeth to retate the seed-plate, and a curved end for on gaging the beveled side to lock the seed-plate, substantially as described.

3. In a corn-planter, the combination, with the seed plate or disk provided with peripheral teeth having one side fiat and the other side beveled, of a reciprocating latch provided with a downward-extending tooth for engaging the said flat sides of the teeth to rotate the seed-plate, and a curved beveled end for engaging the said beveled sides to lock the seed-plate, substantially as described.

4. In a corn-planter, the combination, with the seed plate or disk provided with peripheral teeth having one side flat and the other beveled, of a reciprocating latch provided with a downward-extending tooth for engaging the said flat sides of the teeth to rotate the seed-plate, a curved beveled end for engaging the said beveled sides to lock the seedplate, and a dog or pawl for preventing backlash, substantially as described.

5. In a corn-planter, the combination of the rock-shaft, a bell-crank fixed thereto, a combined reciprocating and locking latch pivoted to one end of the said bell-crank, a seed plate or disk provided with peripheral teeth, and a dog or pawl, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a corn-planter, the combination of the rock-shaft, a bell-crank fixed thereto, a reciprocating and locking latch pivoted to one end of the said bell-crank, a seed plate or disk provided with peripheral teeth, a dog or pawl, and a retracting-spring secured to the frame of the machine and to the said rock-shaft, substantially as described.

7. In a corn-planter, the combination, with the rock-shaft, a bell-crank fixed thereto, and a vertically-reciprocating rack-bar connected with the lower limb of said bell-crank, of a rotary seed-valve provided with a cogged hub, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 8. In a corn-planter, the combination, with the rock-shaft, a bell-crank fixed thereto, a combined reciprocating and locking latch pivoted to the upper end of the said bellcrank, a seed-plate provided with peripheral teeth, and a pivoted pawl or dog, of the rackbar connected with the lower end of the said bell-crank, and a rotatable seed-valve provided with a cogged hub engaging the said rack-bar, whereby the seed-plate and the seedvalve are operated simultaneously, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a corn-planter, the combination, with the rock-shaft, a bell-crank fixed thereto, a combined reciprocating and locking latch pivoted to the upper limb of the said bellcrank, a rotatable seed-plate provided with peripheral teeth adapted to engage With the said latch, and a pivoted pawl or dog, of a rack-bar connected to the lower limb of the said bell-crank, a rotatable seed-valve provided with a cogged hub, and a retractingspring for the said rock-shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NILS O. STARKS.

Witnesses:

A. E. PROUDFIT, H. G. RINDRo. 

